NeMe: International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam 21

Call for documentaries

Every year, IDFA looks for documentaries that are interesting from a stylistic point of view, or are particularly innovative, relevant to social issues and successfully manage to communicate with their audiences.

Creative documentaries of any length completed after 10 August 2007 are eligible for IDFA 2008. There is no fee required for entry.

In total, IDFA programmes some 200 new documentaries dividing among more than thirteen festival programmes. The festival has five competition programmes. Apart from these competitions, IDFA presents regular programme sections that recur annually, complemented by special sections. These special programmes focus on specific countries, directors and/or themes.

During IDFA, Docs for Sale takes place. Docs for Sale is a marketplace where producers and sales agents offer creative documentaries to buyers. Entry is possible by means of a separate, Docs for Sale entry form. The deadline for Docs For Sale is 1 October 2008.

The FORUM for the co-financing of international documentaries takes place from 24 – 26 November 2008. Deadline for entry is 1 September 2008.

Deadlines: 1 May 2008 for documentaries completed between 1 August 2007 and 1 April 2008. 10 August 2008 for documentaries completed after 1 April 2008.

Please note that IDFA will only once view a work-in-progress version unless the festival specifically requests a new version. Films and videos can only be shown at the festival if they have English commentary and/or English dialogue, or are in their original versions with English subtitles.

IDFA accepts the following screening formats: 16mm and 35mm, HD Cam, Betacam SP PAL and Digibeta PAL. Presentation of other formats and video systems requires the authorisation of the Festival.

IDFA Joris Ivens Competition for Feature-Length Documentary
IDFA Competition for Mid-Length Documentary
IDFA Competition for Short Documentary
IDFA Competition for First Appearance
IDFA Competition for Student Documentary
Premieres from the Lowlands
Reflecting Images: Best of Fests – International Non-competitive section containing films that made an impact on the international festival circuit
Reflecting Images: Masters – International Non-competitive section containing films made by renowned (documentary) filmmakers
Reflecting Images: Panorama – International Non-competitive section containing films that are thought provoking in form and/or choice of theme
ParaDocs
Jan Vrijman Fund Programme
Kids & Docs